Sourcing counters and speedometers from China

0% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, revolution counters, production counters, taximeters, milometers, pedometers and the like, speed indicators and tachometers, and their parts carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. Clustered vehicle instrument panels have their own line, and fitness trackers and smartwatches that do far more than count steps are usually classified as communication or data equipment, so confirm the commodity code for anything with a screen and connectivity.

Rules by use

Taximeters are one of the instruments covered by the Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016, so a taximeter needs conformity assessment for its accuracy class and the marking that goes with it, and licensing authorities check them. Speedometers fitted to motor vehicles must meet the vehicle approval rules for speedometer equipment, UN Regulation 39, which sets how far the reading may differ from true speed, so a replacement unit for road vehicles needs that evidence.

Bike computers, pedometers and battery tally counters are consumer products under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, and any with batteries or electronics bring waste electrical and battery producer duties; see WEEE for importers and the bicycle parts guide.

Worked duty example

An invented example rather than a quote: 30,000 pedometers and hand tally counters, commodity code 9029 10 00 90, bought for £30,000 free on board, with £1,000 of freight and insurance, so £31,000 is the value customs works from. No duty is due on counters; import VAT at 20% of £31,000 is £6,200. If you are VAT-registered, that VAT is normally reclaimable. Small counters often ship by air, which would raise the freight but not the duty. See calculating UK import duty and VAT for the method.

What goes wrong

Counters and speed indicators fail on accuracy, sensors and sealing. Pedometers miscount at different walking speeds, bike computers read wrong because the wheel size setting or the sensor magnet is poor, and mechanical tally counters skip or double count as the spring wears. Waterproof claims fail at the button or battery door, LCDs fade in cold weather, batteries drain in storage, and vehicle speed indicators arrive without approval evidence.

Test accuracy against a reference on a sample from each batch, for pedometers over set step counts and for bike computers on a measured distance, cycle mechanical counters many thousands of times, immersion-test any product with an IP rating, check display performance in the cold, measure standby current, and for taximeters and vehicle speedometers see the certificate before ordering.

Cambridge China Bridge sources tally counters, pedometers, production counters, bike computers and speed indicators, with accuracy and durability tests agreed before production. See our counter and instrument sourcing.